Housing in Riyadh!
 

Hey everyone,

I'm a single male, 29 year old moving to Riyadha in March/April 2015 from Scotland :eek:.

Get my first three months accommodation for free then I'm on the usual 25% housing allowance.

My budget is a max of 46,608 sr a year. I'm looking for a furnished flat with a decent kitchen etc for this price somewhere near the King Saud Medical City which covers these hospitals I believe... :confused:

King Saud University Medical City which includes:

- King Khaled University Hospital
- King Abdul Aziz University Hospital
- University Dental Hospital
- University Centre for Diabetes
- King Fahad Cardiac Centre

Anyone offer advice on good areas around this area within walking distance of the hospital or websites advertising flats I can look at... or am I better sorting this out when I arrive?

I can't afford a western compound :nod:

Cheers

Stubs

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

I have been in Riyadh since February of this year. I was in a similiar situation in the sense that I have a housing allowance but didnt want to spend it all on a Western type of compound. I ended up paying a monthly amount of 3500 SAR in a Al Taleen apartment buildling. Its a studio arrangement, 1 large room with a small kitchen and bathroom. Fully furnished with free wifi and limited TV channels. Its fine for me as family are in the uk. There are several al Taleens around and the standard similiar. Google search and you will find. I had a look at several. Depending on area, the price ranges up to about 5500 SAR for a small 1 bedroom flat. From a social aspect its not good....I think I am the only westerner in Riyadh sometimes. I think if you are a social animal, then compounds are the best. You may feel more secure or vulnerable in a compound. If you want to sleep/work/sleep, (sad) then living in a separate apartment is ok. I work for an airline and escape quite regularly. I cant say I like Riyadh but its a good place to save money because there is not much to spend on. I save more mony here than I ever did in the UAE, Qatar or Bahrain. Few concerns about security recently but I guess its not safe anywhere these days. You can usually find something when you get here. I was in a hotel for a week and found something suitable within that time.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

Thanks SmilingCamel (nice name btw lol).

That sounds good... I'll definitely look into the Al Taleens then! And within my price range! I am a social animal but unfortunately I just can't afford the compound living at the minute... Which is a shame because I'd love a compound with a nice pool and gym and some ladies to look at lol... Unless I can find westerners to rent with I'll never get into once :-(

So you haven't managed to meet anyone at all in your time there then? I was hoping to at least meet a few expats I could go out for a coffee with or something on my days off. What do you do when your off... Is it really boring? I heard its possible to get an invite to an embassy party or other compounds?

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

smilingcamel how did you find your housing? I see there is Saudi Dubizzle but it seems alot of it in Arabic. Are there any decent websites where you can look at possibilities?

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

Basically looked around when I arrived. Company put me in a hotel for 2 weeks. There was a local guy I know here from a previous job I had in the UAE and he took me around....you can see apartment buildings in Riyadh. They are not difficult to find.My CEO also showed me one of the Al Taleen buildings and I realized they were of a reasonable standard. As you say there are not many websites as such. I had the same opinion. You can find Al Taleen on booking.com but local rates are cheaper on a monthly basis. I am in Masif. I didnt want to get lumbered with contracts and landlords. I live out of a suitcase and wanted to be in a position for a quick exit if needed. I have just paid monthly since arrival. I am sure there are better but its ok for me.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

Thanks for that. My husband has free shared villa accommodation for as long as he needs but incase we decide to move off compound wanted to know how easy this would be to find places.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

For what you're getting that sounds pricey actually.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

Hi SC.... just looked at the Al Taleens, I didn't realise there were a hotel chain. From the pictures the kitchen area looks really small in some of them... Was hoping to maybe find a flatshare with some western guys but all the websites seem pretty rubbish on advertising flats and when there is an ad nobody seems to put up pictures :-S

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

Taleen are service apartments so there seems to be short term and long term tennants. They are a chain here in Riyadh but I didnt see any restaurants in any of them so I wouldnt call it a hotel as such. The Kitchen sizes vary but in general are small but being on my own and eating out (cheap here), that dosent bother me to much. As Nonthaburi indicated earlier there are probably cheaper (and better) arrangements. I had a look at some other buildings which were cheaper but I wasnt very comfortable with them. My main reason for a service apartment is that I didnt want to get lumbered with landlords, contracts, large advanced deposits, buying furniture, dealing with water/elec accounts etc etc etc this was easy. I paid initially 1 month in advance cash, moved in and lived. Everything is provided from cups to bedlinen. They clean, change bed sheets when asked a etc etc No extra charges. I can leave tonight with my suitcase if necessary. No binding contracts or cimmitments from my side. I personally do not like Riyadh or my employer and will be out of the place after I complete the tax year, so not long to go for me.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

You'll have no problem finding a place to stay. Just hire a taxi for a few hours (or drive yourself) and drive around your desired neighbourhood looking for buildings with pink/blue or similar neon lights on the front - easier to spot at night - they are mostly hotels. All should have internet, TV, kitchen, fridge. Most lack a washing machine (or will have a cheap semi-manual spinning machine thing which is useless).

You should negotiate - prices range from 1,500 SAR a month upwards for 1 or 2 bedrooms. For 4,000 SAR you can get somewhere reasonably nice.

If you're willing to commit for a year, you can rent a good sized apartment (3/4 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, balcony) for 20,000 SAR a year or even less, but will usually be unfurnished (which tends to mean you get absolutely nothing in the apartment, not even curtain rails or air con, etc etc). Look for adverts on the outside of apartment buildings - usually in Arabic, but take down the phone number and get an Arabic speaking colleague to phone for further details, or speak to the security guard in the entrance.

The most annoying thing is most places have no/tiny windows so some effort is required to find something with normal windows (if that bothers you).

Make sure to see the actual place before moving in.

Also one oddity - as a single man most hotels try to put you on the ground floor by reception. If this bothers you, expect minor hassles negotiating for a room somewhere else in the building.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

If you have some expat workmates you may be able to share with them. When I first came here, 4 of us rented a villa for 65000 a year, roughly 1300 a month each. Was a really nice brand new huge place, had to buy furniture but it was still a really cheap option.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

Brill! Thanks for the info people.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

I am going to Riyadh in 3 months time. I will be working as a nurse in King Saud Hospital. I have the same dilemma the one you had last year in finding a place to live. How are you doing there now stub? Maybe you could help me in looking for a palce to stay. Thank you. I don't want to stay to a very expensive place but I also don't want to stay in a place where my security is at risk. Thank you.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

How is ur stay now in saudi? Im looking for people to share apartments or villas thank you.

Re: Housing in Riyadh!
 

I'm currently waiting on my visa and then I will be going to Saudi i have 3 months housing arranged and when those 3 months are up I have to find my own accommodation. And I will be working at the university. At 1 of the hospitals.
I'd rather the option of sharing housing with some people, and to be somewhere that is safe & has security